Countering Islamophobia

Recent events in the US have sparked a renewed interest—and debate—about Islam and Muslims. The commercial media has put two efforts aimed at limiting Muslim presence and striking at core beliefs at the center of the national (and international) attention. What has been described as “Islamophobia”—a fear of Islam and Muslims—marks a certain segment of the climate and discourse in the United States today. This approach is hurtful because it reduces an entire people of faith to stereotypes and images. In response to that, the 2011 UCC Synod and Disciples Assembly spoke out unequivocally.

The United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) engage in dialogue and action with people of other faiths, both in the United States and globally. Cooperation to reduce the effects of poverty, to oppose torture, to support Middle East peace, and simply to get to know one another are some of the ways that we interact with Muslims and Jews, among others. Locally, nationally, and internationally, many good efforts are taking place to break down barriers of the mind.

A major international initiative by Muslims, inviting Christians into dialogue, focuses on the two common principles of Christianity and Islam—to love God and to love your neighbor. The invitation is called, A Common Word Between Us and You

In addition, in early 2016, the Marrakesh Declaration was issued, addressing issues related to the rights of non-Muslims in Muslim-majority countries and societies.

In today’s context, there is much that Disciples and UCC members can do to learn more about, and to get to know, our Muslim neighbors to contribute to a toned-down discourse, one that promotes tolerance and acceptance, and one gets beyond oversimplifications. An excellent khutba, or sermon, was preached on Feb. 3, 2017 at the Islamic Center of Michiana in South Bend, IN, by Dr. A. Rashied Omar on the occasion of World Interfaith Harmony Week and Solidarity Against Islamophobia. Dr. Omar earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in religious studies from the University of Cape Town and an M.A. in peace studies from the Kroc Institute. He also completed study programs in Islamic religious education in South Africa, Sudan, Pakistan, and Malaysia. Omar’s research and teaching focus on the roots of religious violence and the potential of religion for constructive social engagement and interreligious peacebuilding.

In Islam, the Qur’an is the revealed word of God to the community, through the prophet Muhammad. You can read the Qur’an online or simply find a copy at your local bookstore or library. You will recognize many of the people in it!

We hope this resource will provide you with some helpful tools to learn more about Islam and Muslims, a faith community of almost 1.5 billion. Even so, there is no substitute for a direct personal encounter.

The Secret History of Muslims in the U.S. is a 2018 video showing how Muslims have influenced the country from its inception. The video chronicles this history from 1492 to today in this animated short from The New York Times.

Shoulder-to-Shoulder website - Standing with American Muslims; Upholding American ValuesWe call upon our fellow citizens to treat each other with compassion and honesty, and to foster an ethical commitment to bedrock American values such as pluralism and religious freedom, mutuality and respect—values also at the core of our religious traditions. See this article for information from Shoulder-to-Shoulder about how to stand with American Muslims in the aftermath of the 2016 Presidential election. Shoulder-to-Shoulder has a toolkit, meant to be a living document that will be updated, for mobilizing to protect and support American Muslims.

Center for American Progress report: Fear, Inc.An in-depth investigation conducted by the Center for American Progress Action Fund reveals not a vast right-wing conspiracy behind the rise of Islamophobia in our nation but rather a small, tightly networked group of misinformation experts guiding an effort that reaches millions of Americans through effective advocates, media partners, and grassroots organizing. This spreading of hate and misinformation primarily starts with five key people and their organizations, which are sustained by funding from a clutch of key foundations.

Pew Research Center: Being Muslin in the U.S.This video offers a look inside the beliefs and attitudes of Muslims in America; it features data from Pew Research Center’s 2017 survey, as well as the personal stories of Muslims from across the United States.

“Discover Islam” DVDs and Study GuideDiscover Islam has offered to provide, free of charge, a new DVD set called “Discover Islam: Documentary Films” to various settings of the UCC and Disciples. The DVD set includes six half-hour programs, as follows:

Islam: An American Faith

Christians & Islam

Islam: Faith & History

Women in Islam

Islam: A Faith Hijacked

African Americans & Islam

Boston Review: "Islam on Trial"It is painful to confront how deeply afflicted we have become with anti-Muslim prejudice. Even those rare Muslims we celebrate reflect our pathos. Islamophobia did not start with President Trump nor is it simply the purview of people willing to spout hateful things about Muslims on TV or on the street. It is a historical phenomenon rooted in the history of colonialism. Today, Islamophobia is a widely supported, entrenched social practice invigorated by the rise of the modern national security state and the persistence of global wars against Muslim-majority nations.

MuslimGirl WebsiteA website that is "normalizing the word 'Muslim' for both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. MuslimGirl.net was launched from the bedroom of a high school girl that was fed up with the misleading misconceptions surrounding Islam — the way the news coverage and media outlets kept skewing the image of Muslims into a nasty one; the mistrust, racism, and flat-out hatred that the inaccuracies flamed; the muting of young Muslim voices from mainstream society; and the resulting disillusionment that young Muslims suffer about their religion in the tornado of it all. We at MuslimGirl are taking back the narrative."

The Bridge InitiativeBased in Georgetown University’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, The Bridge Initiative is a multi-year research project that connects the academic study of Islamophobia with the public square.

Islamaphobia: A Threat to AllInstitute or Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) examines the impact of Islamophobia on the wider public and offers historical context as well as modern day best practices to meet this challenge.